- More Nashvillians (56 percent)听think听the city听is on the wrong track than just a year ago (42 percent), which听may听reflect reactions to听the recent ice storm,听which affected 76听percent听of the respondents.听听听
- Approval听for Mayor听Freddie听O鈥機onnell听drops from 67 percent in 2025 to 54 percent in 2026, which also听can be attributed, in part,听to听the impact of January鈥檚 ice storm. The same pattern holds for听public鈥檚听approval of听Metro听Council.听听听
- The public鈥檚 approval of NES stands at听39 percent.听
- Nashvillians听view affordable housing as听their听top and growing priority听(73 percent),听and听they听don鈥檛听think听neighborhoods are being prioritized听by the city听(71 percent).听听听听
The听results of听2026 Vanderbilt Poll鈥揘ashville听reflect,听in听part, the听effects听of the ice storm听that gripped the region听in late January.听The storm and its aftermath听zapped the听level of听optimism that听city residents have enjoyed听for听the听past decade, and respondents听also听expressed听more concerns about听Nashville鈥檚听direction and leadership.听Approval ratings for the school board, police and fire departments remained听relatively stable,听but听Mayor Freddie O鈥機onnell and听Metro Council听suffered听a notable dip听in public support.听听
The Vanderbilt Poll听asked for the first time about Nashville Electric Service,听largely听to听gauge opinion听after听much of the city was听without power听for several days听due to听Winter听Storm Fern. Nashvillians听largely disapproved听of NES (61听percent).听And in听a 14-point听drop听from 2025, the majority of Nashvillians (56 percent)听now听think the city is on the wrong track.听听
After public education (78 percent), which has long been the top priority of the public, affordable housing听emerged听as the issue 73 percent of residents want O鈥機onnell to address, up from 61 percent in 2025. Respondents equally prioritized reducing traffic, reducing听crime听and ensuring the city鈥檚 long-term financial health, at 63 percent each.听听听听
The survey was conducted from Feb.听20 through March 14, 2026, less than a month after听Winter Storm Fern. One of the most destructive ice storms in Nashville鈥檚 history, it affected about 230,000 homes across Davidson County and听left thousands of residents without power for more than a week.听That experience听very likely听colored听perceptions听of local leadership and utility companies.听Among听poll听respondents, 76听percent听reported听being听affected by the storm,听and 66听percent听said they lost power.听So,听no one should view these drops as permanent. The city will听likely rebound听as听Nashvillians get distance听from听the ice storm.听听听
Approval of O鈥機onnell听
While most Nashvillians (54 percent) still approve of O鈥機onnell, the survey revealed a significant decline from previous years. Just one year ago, 67 percent听approved鈥攄own听from 71 percent in听2024. Only 35 percent of survey respondents听approved of听his handling of storm recovery efforts;听35 percent disapproved.听听听
鈥淎long with the ice storm, the mayor听over the last year听has navigated polarizing issues from the state and federal governments, including immigration upheaval and economic uncertainty,鈥� said John Geer, co-director of the Vanderbilt Poll, senior advisor to Chancellor Daniel听Diermeier,听and听Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of听Political听Science.听鈥淭his drop is significant, but in today鈥檚 politics an approval rating of 54 percent is still听a good sign for the听mayor,鈥� Geer听added.听听
O鈥機onnell鈥檚 approval fell most sharply among Republicans, down from 56 percent in 2024 to 25 percent in 2026. He听maintains听71 percent approval among听Democrats,听a 12听point drop from 2025.听A majority of听Independents (54 percent)听still听approve听of the听mayor, down from 65 percent in 2024.听The increasingly polarized view toward the mayor听almost certainly听reflects the impact of national issues听like听immigration,听where Republicans and Democrats strongly disagree about how local officials should respond.听
Despite the bipartisan drops in approval, 35 percent of respondents still said O鈥機onnell best听represents听their views.听That鈥檚听down from 44 percent in 2025, but听it鈥檚听still outpacing Metro Council听(25 percent), Gov.听Bill Lee (24 percent)听and the听General Assembly听(15 percent).听听听
NES lacks听Nashville鈥檚 trust听
Of all the听survey鈥檚听findings, the starkest听may be听the听low听approval of Nashville Electric Service. Only 39 percent approve of the job听the utility is听doing, while 61 percent disapprove. When asked specifically about NES鈥檚 handling of the ice storm recovery,听the same story听emerges:听61 percent disapprove. As听for听who听was听most responsible for problems following the storm, 37 percent blamed NES and听only听9 percent blamed the mayor鈥檚 office.听But notably听most respondents held听Mother Nature听responsible鈥�44 percent.听听Among city services, the survey showed听much听stronger approval for Metro Water Services (60 percent) and Metro Trash and Recycling (57 percent).听听
Increasing the reliability of city services, such as utilities and trash, is now considered a top priority by 49 percent of Nashvillians, up from 38 percent in 2025鈥攚hich听also听is听likely听driven, in part, by the听consequences of the ice storm.听听
Another听noteworthy听finding: For the first time in survey history, Metro Council faced a disapproving majority. The council鈥檚 disapproval rose to 50 percent, while its approval dropped听to 48 percent.听Other city institutions were听largely stable, with Metro Nashville Fire Department enjoying the highest approval ratings at 95 percent. Metro Nashville Police Department received 72 percent overall approval, a听modest听4 point听gain from the听previous听year.听
Growing unease about housing, cost of living听
Residents expressed growing concerns about population听growth听and听the听rising cost of living in Nashville. A full 82 percent report that they cannot afford to buy a house in Davidson County,听and听only 36 percent听said听they plan to buy a house in the county. These economic strains are reflected in the priority of 鈥渂ringing new听good听jobs to the city鈥� more than doubling鈥攆rom 18 percent in 2025 to 43 percent in 2026.听Only 8 percent of residents rate the condition of Nashville鈥檚 economy as 鈥渧ery good,鈥� down from 12 percent in 2025.听听听
鈥淯naffordability threatens the long-term fabric of the community, and the numbers show that most residents are concerned about being able to afford a home in Nashville,鈥� said Vanderbilt Poll co-director Josh Clinton, who holds the Abby and Jon Winkelried Chair at Vanderbilt and is a professor of political science. 鈥淔aced with Nashville鈥檚 rapid growth, residents are worried about being priced out of the city they call home.鈥�听听
Although 73听percent听of respondents听identify听housing affordability as a top priority, support听for building multifamily housing in local neighborhoods has decreased听a bit听since 2025. More than half (53 percent) of residents now believe multifamily housing, such as duplexes and apartments, should be allowed only in dense areas to preserve the character of less-populated areas. Another 47 percent support allowing multifamily construction citywide to revitalize local economies. This is a reversal from 2025, when the majority supported widespread multifamily housing.听听
鈥淏y a 2-to-1 margin, residents feel that recent changes in Nashville have not been good for the city鈥攆rom traffic concerns to the pace of population growth,鈥� Geer said. 鈥淎t the same time, there鈥檚 demand for more local job creation. This points to deeper issues of affordability and听the need for听Nashville鈥檚 leadership to prioritize听ways听to ease the听concerns of its听residents.鈥澨�听
Nearly half (48 percent) said recent changes have made their day-to-day lives worse, compared with only 24 percent who said they have made it better. A majority (79 percent) of residents believe Nashville鈥檚 population is growing too quickly鈥攁 pattern that has been true for more than听five听years.听These numbers are听congruent with 鈥渉eavy traffic to and from downtown鈥澨齟merging听as the top reason (cited by 32 percent)听that听Nashville residents avoid the听city鈥檚听center.听听
Residents want local improvements, not abstract projects听
Nashville residents surveyed want the city to focus more on improving life for听neighborhoods听than on prioritizing niche agendas and abstract, large-scale projects. A vast majority (71 percent) of residents surveyed believe the city government spends too little time addressing problems in听neighborhoods generally.听听
The poll tested public sentiment on several specific city proposals for tunnels and听the racetrack,听with notable results. For starters, the听public鈥檚 support for听Elon Musk鈥檚听tunnel project is heavily influenced by partisanship.听Opposition to听construction of the听tunnel听increases from 35 percent to 51 percent when Musk鈥檚听name听is听explicitly听mentioned听in the question. Meanwhile, there is听limited听support for bringing NASCAR to the racetrack. Twenty-six percent are in favor of the move, but听36 percent听call for听eliminating听the racetrack.听听
Bike lanes, which the O鈥機onnell administration has prioritized, received a听mixed听response. Of those surveyed, 45 percent support adding bike lanes鈥攂ut only where it is easy to do so. Another 28 percent of residents polled do not want听more听bike lanes in the city.听听
鈥淭he data suggests that most residents want the city to focus on real, day-to-day problems in their neighborhoods rather than听some of the larger projects and developments around the city that听are more visible and therefore听tend to attract the most attention,鈥� Clinton said.听
